Surrender My Serenity
by PurplePen.2O7
Summary: After the death of her king and a visit to the dark one, Queen Regina found herself raising a child from an unwanted affair. 12 years later Henry has to be trained to become king, after many failed attempts at training with teachers. The finest Knight is offered to train him, Ser Swan catches both eyes of the Royals as she gradually peals of the layers of the Royal family.
1. Chapter 1

She held her arms close to her cold, shivering body. Walking through the hallowed, empty, overcast, shadowy halls. Her weak arms draped around her like she's hugging herself, trying to prevent the appalling feeling of isolation in her soul now that the one person she had truly loved will never be able to love her again.

 _I shouldn't be here. What am I doing? He wouldn't want me here._

She told herself as she stopped midway through the dim cave, the feeling of dark magic erupting in her innocent soul. She shook her shivers away and continued her walk to the treacherous one everyone called _the dark one,_ her heart throbbing with every step she took. The sound of rustling from the dried leaves and hay resembled her broken heart. Each crack crumbling her already fractured heart.

She clutched her dress above her chest, displaying the pain her heart was suffering, once she reached the desired destination. She had flashbacks of his smile, his glorious, gracious smile, his soft fingers pushing back her falling strands of hair, her quivering lips once she felt his breath itch on her lips from the closeness of their non-existent distance, his strong arms wrapped her waist, picking her up from the floor as soon as she said yes to his proposal, the numerous nights she'd fallen asleep in his arms, and finally, his soft kisses that drove her to her core.

More memories came rushing back like it was yesterday until the sound of leaves and hay being crushed began to grace her ears. The tear that fell slowly down her cheek, finally hit the ground.

"Now, now, dearie, there's no need to cry." His overly excited voice interrupted her thinking. He walked towards her with a smirk on his face as he brushed back a strand of her hair; it wasn't like how her husband used to brush it back. It wasn't soft or gentle for her pleasure. She closed her eyes as he walked around her in a circle, examining her. "You have a deeply broken heart, don't you, my dear." He said with a shake of his arms pointing towards her clutched chest. She looked at him, her eyes reddened by the water that threatened to fall.

"I need you to take the pain away." She whispered. He smiled harder and turned her around, pushing her hair to one side.

"I can't bring the dead back, dearie." He whispered, knowing what she desired.

"I can't live like this, I feel nothing… I feel empty." Her lowered voice rose as fresh tears wondered her face.

"What if I can fill that hole?" he spoke, already a plan in his mind. Her face dawned with confusion as he walked away from her, giving her his back once again.

"Nothing can fill this hole." She informed him.

"Not true." He smirked and turned around to face her. He walked to her and stopped once he was fairly close to her face. His dirty fingers slid under her chin. "All you think you want is to be loved again by our dear, beloved, fallen king, but what you really want, dearie, is to love someone and to be loved, whether it be him or not." She shook her head away from his fingers.

"No one can replace Daniel." She spoke with determination as she wrapped her arms around herself again.

"Not even his child?" the dark one spoke, as he slipped his fingers on her stomach. She touched her own stomach and shook her head.

"It's not possible… I'm not-"

"Pregnant?" he smirked, turning away from her. "I said nothing about it being your child, my dearie." She stood frozen, not believing his words. Her Daniel would never cheat on her. He wouldn't dare, he loved her. He knew she couldn't give him children but he would never make love to another woman for a child. He wouldn't…

 _He's not like that. He would never do that. This is the dark one playing tricks on my mind._

"You're lying." She turned around, forcing a distance between them.

"Am I?" he walked closer to her, walking around her in circles. "You know more than anyone that he would do anything for his kingdom, he needed someone to take his throne after him and that was something you couldn't give him, so he took my advice and made another woman carry his child.

"No…" she wouldn't believe this.

 _He's lying, they're_ _all lies, but how does he know about her condition? No, this is the dark one, Regina, he plays with minds, and it's his specialty._

"You doubt me, that's understandable, but take a look dearie." With a wave of his hands.

 ** _A circular window opened and a picture of a 3 year old boy playing by the stables petting horses appeared, he had similar green eyes to the one she called her lover. She hoped her eyes were deceiving her. It was just a boy; it could not be any boy. Regina would have stuck to her own word that this was a lie had not her husband of 4 years walked to the child and picked him up, placing him on the horse._**

" ** _You'll be the king one day, Henry. You'll ride these horses and be the bravest of kings. Once I tell your mothers the truth." He said as he rubbed his hair, and soon the circular window disappeared. Her eyes watered._**

 _No, this can't be true. No, no, this is an illusion… it can't be true._

She couldn't handle this information. Her shattered heart felt even more demolished. How could she have been so foolish to believe she could be someone's only one?

"The boy can be yours only. He will love only you, he does not know who his real mother is. He will love you for you, and you shall love him as well." The dark one's voice echoed faintly.

"I can't even look at the boy, how do you expect me to love him?" The queen said harshly. He chuckled.

"Because no matter how bad it hurts, you have a fairly soft spot for children, Regina. Everyone wants what he or she can't have…" he whispered against her ear. "You can have what you can't have…"

 _It's not the child's fault he was born. Curse this heart of mine. The need to get to know the boy was rising in the depths of her heart._

"I will get you the boy." He said, knowing she would accept.

"In exchange for what?" she asked, knowing the dark one does not give things for free. He smirked.

"You have nothing to give me now, my dear, but you will in the future. For now, you can take the boy and live your life like you have nothing to offer me." He said, and banished into the deep of the cave. She closed her eyes and sighed.

 _I shouldn't have come. I knew I shouldn't have._

Present day.

He rushed through the halls of his castle, denying any help from any of the staff, his feet hitting the ground, his weight that hit the floor causing hard thumps. He rushed past his mother's room, and slammed the door to his room.

His mother heard the faint commotion going on outside his room. She sighed and placed the book she was reading down by her beside drawer. Her son had been like this for the past year. Feeling isolated and misunderstood. His coronation day was near and he didn't yet know how to wield a sword or ride a horse.

Teachers and tutors came and left, none benefitting the prince. He was set to be king on his sixteenth birthday. No teacher seemed to satisfy him. Regina wondered why he would not let anyone in, but she understood why, for she was the one who raised him. Taught him not to trust anyone so easily. Yet she wished she hadn't done that, things wouldn't have been so difficult.

As the years passed,she grew to love the boy that once caused her so much pain. One look from his innocent green eyes dug through her skin, she couldn't let him be. Even if he was the result of an unwanted affair, he was still a child.

Regina raised him with love and care. Every part of her body extruded love to the prince, and the prince did love his mother unconditionally, she was the one person he had ever loved deeply and willingly.

She left her room and walked to his, outside his room stood his servant, knocking on his door.

"Prince Henry," he said loud enough for him to hear through the thick door.

"Go away!" the prince yelled back. The servant was about to knock on the door again had he not noticed the Queen approaching. He took a step back and bowed down for her.

"Your grace." He said, still bowed down. The queen's elegancy drove anyone to their knees; she was so gentle it managed to make everyone go insane. She waved her hand for the servant to straighten himself.

"It's okay, I'll deal with it." She spoke softly as the servant nodded and began to leave. She sighed. Such a stubborn little boy he was. Persistence was a trait he inherited from his father. She knocked gently on the door.

"I said go away!" he yelled louder, irritation slipping through his voice.

"Henry, dear, open the door." His mother's soft voice echoed gently through the door of his room. A breathy sigh was heard and the shuffling of someone walking towards the door. After a few seconds, the handle of the door bent down and the print stood aside, opening the door for the queen.

Regina took the invitation and closed the door softly behind her as Henry walked to his window, staring at the sky.

The queen always felt for her little prince, everything he felt, she felt it twice. His anger at himself flew through his veins and Regina felt it magnified. He had easily become everything to Regina and whenever he seemed the slightest bit upset, she would feel upset too. "Henry…" she called his name softly. He avoided any eye contact, his hands clenched into fists and his knuckles pure white.

"I am not fit to be a king." He simply said, staring at a bird flying away from his window, wishing he could have the power to just thrust his wings and fly away from his problems.

"That is nonsense, Henry." Regina said. Walking to the teenage prince, she gently put a hand on his shoulder, but he brushed her away. Though the move hurt Regina, she knew her son was upset and he didn't truly mean to reject her.

"It isn't." He looked at his arms and hit the wall roughly. "I can't do anything right!" he yelled, the anger in his voice rising. Regina rushed to wrap her arms around his waist. His figure was now much taller than he was 12 years ago. She held him away from the wall.

"Henry, please." She pleaded, knowing he would do anything for her. She looked up to his face; he looked into his mother's eyes and saw the reflecting pain. He sighed.

"I'm sorry, mother…" he whispered, looking away, ashamed of his actions. She let him go gently and reached for his cheek.

"Don't hurt yourself, Henry, you are all I have." She spoke gently. He leaned into his mother's touch. She always calmed him down so easily. Her presence always made him feel better. "Come on, dear." She said as she pulled him to his bed and let him sit on the edge. She opened a drawer beside his king sized bed, taking out a supply of cloth and cleansing herbs.

She sat next to him and took his bleeding hand. The bruised bleeding was result of the hard blow to the wall of his bedroom. She grabbed one of the small cloths, rinsing it with the cleansing herbs then pressing it gently on his wound. He winced slightly, trying to take his hand away, but soon relaxed once his mother's tender touch graced his hand. She then carefully wrapped his knuckles with a bandage.

"Thank you." He whispered, staring down at the floor. Regina smiled softly, his manners were a sky rocketing trait about him. She was proud of herself for that. She brushed his short hair, trying to comfort him. She saw the slightest hint of a glimmer in his eyes and moved to place his head on her chest. She rubbed up and down his arms as he closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of his adored mother.

"I need a new tutor again. I will do my best this time, I promise." He said into her chest.

"It's okay, I'll ask Hook for the best Knight he has to train you." She said, and then moved slightly to get him to look at her. "How does that sound?" she asked with a soft smile, causing him to smile as well.

"Sounds great."

Hook happened to be the only father figure Henry had known. Ever since he was a child, he would run to the docks just to see him sail his Jolly Roger. The first time he was ever on a boat was when he was 10 and he had to cross the sea with his mother for a royal ball in Camelot. Hook had taught him how to sail his boat when they were on their return to the enchanted forest. The prince was always fascinated by the Ex-Pirate's adventures. They grew to become close friends. Regina didn't mind it, for Hook was a close friend of hers as well.

"Why don't you get some rest as I send a letter to tell him to come over?" Regina said, earning another smile from him. He nodded gently and got into his bed for a well-needed rest. The queen helped tuck him in. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, mom." He whispered, closing his eyes. She loved whenever her ears had the privilege to hear that, especially knowing that she could've never had the chance to hear that had she not accepted the dark one's offer.

"I love you too, Henry." She whispered, before quietly leaving his room. She closed his door gently and sighed to herself. The boy was a handful but she wouldn't have it any other way.

She left for her room to begin to write a letter for Captain Killian Jones, informing him that she needed his best knight for her son's training.

The next day

Morning came, the rays of sun shining through the already open window of the queen's room. Regina was always an early riser. Something about being awake before the sun rose gave her a sense of power. She loved being awake to see the sun rise as much as she loved being awake to see the sunset. The view so beautifully etched across the sky. It made even the most hopeless of people find hope.

After her usual morning ritual, the queen made her way to her sacred garden. She walked along the isles; each row bred a different type of flower. The queen would usually get lost in the essence of the alluring garden she worked hard to create. Ever since Henry came into her life she made sure she and him planted flowers daily, effortlessly becoming a part of her routine, but it didn't last long. Sadly, as the boy's male interests began to surface he had failed to find interest in the garden like he used to. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, he would still join his mother whenever she asked him.

The mother-son bond they shared was one to envy, they shared everything like best friends, stood up for each other like loyal knights, and respected one another like family, they brought out the best in each other and were always constantly available for one another. They had an unbreakable bond.

As the queen watered the divergent plants in her garden, she heard the faintest sound of carriages and horseshoes stomping on the ground. The louder the sounds the closer she knew her visitor was. She placed her watering can down and smelled the last flower before making her way to the main hall where she intended to meet with most of her guests.

She reached the hall a few minutes before Henry did as he came rushing in breathless to stand next to his mother, his hair a bushy mess, his chest heaving up and down as he tried to stand as elegantly as he could.

 _Poise and composure of a King Henry. Poise and composure._

He told himself this as his chest heaved hard. His mother smiled lightly at him, a faint chuckle escaped her lips, and she tidied up his hair and the state of his clothes.

"Sorry I'm late." He said with a flustered smile. The queen shook her head and pointed a finger to his chest.

"What do I always tell you, Henry, a royal is never late-"

"Everyone else is just simply early." He spoke with his mother, earning him another smile. "I know, mother." He spoke with determination in his eyes.

"Why, only Regina would say that." A thick, accented voice said from behind them, as it entered the hall through the open doors. A larger smile appeared on the young prince's face as he saw his friend entering the hall.

"You've grown tall, haven't you, mate." Hook ruffled his hair as he stood next to him. The boy jerked **his** head away from the sailor's hands and chuckled. The queen smiled at their slight interaction before she noticed a figure behind him; covered in a hardware mantle, layers of iron and ingot housing the still silhouette. The heavy armor added approximately 10 pints, she assumed, on the man's shoulder. The individual behind the burdensome attire held his composure in place, impressing the queen.

"You've asked for my best knight," Hook began, refocusing the queen's attention to him. She looked at him and he smiled, "I present to you my best knight, Ser Swan." He held his hand out for the former, unmoved, physique.

The knight pulled the heavy armor off of his head, only to surprise the queen, as it wasn't a he at all. She locked eyes with the queen's astonished eyes. The knight smiled softly before she bowed down.

"Your grace," she said, before standing up again, her poise unfazed. The queen was still in an unsettled state, her heart pounding for an unknown reason.

" _Ser_ Swan?" the prince asked, the shocked expression clearly present on his face. "But you're a girl…" he said in question.

"Henry!" His mother finally averted from the knight's gaze to look at her dumbfounded son. "Manners." She schooled him. The knight chuckled slightly.

"Woman, actually." The knight spoke as she looked at the boy, who was still in a dumbfounded state.

"You're going to be training me?" he questioned.

"I can assure you that my gender will not be an issue." She stated simply.

"But I can't hit a girl; it's wrong." He said. His facial expression dawned in bewilderment.

"That is assuming you do have a chance to hit her." Hook placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll let you in on a little secret, mate." He began edging closer to his ear as the two ladies exchanged another glance. "She slayed a dragon." The ex-pirate whispered in the boy's ear, causing the boy to gulp and look wide eyed at the knight.

"I believe a schedule is to be set, then?" Hook smiled mischievously as he looked at the astonished boy, the frazzled queen, and the unwavering knight.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **I would like to know your opinions if this is good or not or boring or not to know if i should continue posting i would appreciate any criticism to, let me know what i'm doing right and what i'm doing wrong. Anyway I hope you enjoy the story, your feed back is much appreciated. Sorry for not updating for a while i'm working with some beta readers to fix my writing errors as much as i can to make it a better story to read.**

 **P.S. you should try reading this with any Nightcore sad song playlist. =]**

* * *

Upon the arrival of the Knight, the castle has been slightly weary. The servants and staff on their toes rather than their feet. The sun had not yet appeared in the sky but Ser Swan was up in her feet as though the morning had come and gone a long time ago.

The knight had barely had the liberty to acknowledge the castle. A servant leading her to the prince's room presented her with a light detour. If the servant was right, the knight should expect a still sound asleep boy lying in the covers of a large king sized bed.

She never understood the teenage minds these days; in fact she couldn't comprehend anyone who never woke before the rise of the basking flare. She let her eyes delve into the dazzling, delicate luxury of the great castle of the Enchanted Kingdom.

She had heard tales of this land and wondered how the Queen had conquered it for 12 years on her own. Surely there were times where some citizens did not approve of the realm ruled only by a queen, but the queen held her ground and she didn't run.

That's what impressed the knight; the queen took her rightful throne and ruled it ravishingly, without bloodshed. She kept wondering how her majesty could have fought the few kings and male knights that crossed her way.

She knew more than anyone how difficult it was to be a woman around men. She grew up living with 12 audacious boys, including Hook, who easily became one of her mentors. Many times, the boys treated with her with gentleness and care in defiance from what she had requested.

After an incident that occurred somewhere during her adolescence, she had decided to train to become a knight. She exasperated herself day and night, from every waking hour to the final minutes of the day. She had trained herself endlessly and although she had surpassed every level of her training, she continued to overwork herself till her bones, together with her body, began to debilitate.

Some say her strength had transcended more than half the men in the royal army; her name rose to fame in her land. The only woman to ever enter an academy and pursue more actively than necessary.

The knight's eyes landed on a partially open door; she could see the flare of the sun's rays enter the room, and for a slight second her eyes got caught staring up at the tantalising view that was the queen holding a book in her hands, staring attentively at the sky right outside her casement.

Her beauteous figure blinded the knight from everything else in sight. The bright glimmer resonated off of the queen's skin. Her skin resembled softness like new velvet sheets. Her hair was neatly held up, the darkness of her hair imitating the night sky.

The knight would have continued her gawking had she not noticed the queen's figure move slightly. She turned away vigorously, dodging anything of resemblance to the queen. She caught up to the servant quickly, who opened the door of the prince's room to some extent.

His room, unlike the queen's, was drowned in darkness. Any dent, crack, or gap that could possibly reflect light was blocked, signed and sealed.

 _Typical teenager,_ the knight thought, chuckling. She gestured for the servant that she could leave. And after she had left, the knight entered the room and opened the dark shades, striking the dark room with much needed light.

She heard the slight grumble from the prince's bed and knew he was starting to wake, but not fully, so she took the liberty to fill a bucket that she had found near the boy's plants with very cold water. She stood by his bed, now with a smirk plastered on her face. She had dealt with many his age, all facing the same thing. Lack of time, management or judgment.

Once the boy was flipped to the other side, she held the bucket high and splashed the prince with water. The young boy's figure jolted up, shivers running through his body as the coldness of the water rushed through his nerves. For a split second, the prince felt like ice.

"Good morning, Prince Henry." The blonde knight said with a smile, placing the now empty bucket down. The boy barely registered his state. None of his previous tutors had done this to him, woken him from his sleep. "Training starts at 6 in the morning every day until the sun sets. I expect you dressed and ready for my lessons my sunrise." She said, walking to the foot of his bed. "Let's go over the rules, shall we? Number 1, I expect full commitment from you, meaning no distractions, no breaks, and no questions." She spoke with a firm voice as she raised one finger.

"Number 2," she raised a second finger. "You will do as I say, when I say it, and how I say it." The boy gulped, feeling even more nervous of the woman than he was yesterday after learning about her conquering victories.

"Number 3," she raised a third finger. "I will not be responsible for any injuries you obtain during this quest. To be a knight means bravery, and bravery requires everything in a person's soul. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded hastily, his eyes almost popping out of his head, his body projecting the fear he felt. The knight smiled, accomplishing her task of making the boy fear her. She turned around, about to leave his room.

"You have fifteen minutes to get ready, Henry. I suggest you start moving, and meet me by the stables." The knight's voice echoed behind her, and she knew the boy still sat astonished in his place.

Once the sight of the knight had disappeared into thin air, the boy jumped from his wet bed and as quick as he could he changed into his training attire before rushing through the doors to the stables.

* * *

The queen felt the hard stomping of the ground; she knew it was her son's feet once she noticed him rushing to the stables from the window. She smiled as she watched him run with all his might.

She decided to use the little free time she had to water her garden and soon visit her friend before he set sail to god knows where this time.

* * *

The boy stood before the knight, breathless, chest heaving deeply, as Ser Swan walked back and forth in front of him.

"The first task we will cross paths with is patience and balance." She walked towards the now calmed down boy. She stood in front of him. "The exercises I'm about to give you may seem easy, but trust me, they are not. It takes a certain amount of patience and balance to be a skilled warrior. Understand?" she questioned, and the boy nodded. "Speak, boy!" she yelled into his face.

"Yes, Sir!" he yelled back, and then bit his tongue.

 _Shit, did I just call her sir?_

"I mean ma'am." He said again. The knight let it slip and walked aside, grabbing a piece of wood she had set near the rest of the things prepared. The wood had a hole in the middle. She gave it to the boy.

"As you can see, this piece of wood has a hole. What you are tasked with is to stare through that hole for 20 seconds. I will time you." She held up the boy's hand that gripped the wood. She prepped his arm at eye level and turned in the other direction.

"What you are not allowed to do is move any part of your body." She spoke, the boy's body already failing her commands, his arm that held the piece of wood quivering easily. The knight walked back to the boy's arm and held it still, the hard grip making the boy still.

The knight let go and watched the prince struggle to maintain his stillness, the task at hand easier said than done. Once 20 seconds had passed, she let the boy put his hand down, and the blonde was not too thrilled with the result.

"Again." She commanded him. He did it time and time again until finally he was able to control his arm. The knight smiled proudly.

"Excellent." She took the wood from his arm and the boy smiled, proud of his achievement, then frowned once again as soon as his eyes caught a glimpse of what he had to hold on to next. A piece of paper with a similar hole in the middle.

"Now that you have control of your arm with a hardened object, let's see how good you are with this." She held the paper out for him to take. He took it and prepared himself for the task.

"This time, make sure you stabilise not only yourself, but the paper as well, all the while focusing your vision through that hole."

"Yes ma'am." The prince said, doing as told.

 _Well mannered. The queen has done a pleasant job at raising him, I can see. He has the potential of becoming a good student. No complaints so far. Well postured, only a slight imbalance. We will work on that._

The knight analysed as she watched the boy try to accomplish the task she had him perform.

* * *

The queen had taken a carriage to meet her friend, Captain Killian, by the docks, as he always was. She expected to be greeted by the one handed sailor with a bottle of rum in his hands, and the queen's assumptions did not fail her as the carriage stopped and before it stood the Ex-pirate with a plastered smile on his face.

"Twice in a row, my queen. I'm winning you over, I can feel it." He spoke with a heavy accent and a drunken ring to his words as the doors of the carriage opened. Though most people wouldn't understand him, the queen did.

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Killian." The queen gladly took Hook's arm that was extended out for her, and she gently climbed out of the carriage to be at ground level.

"Might I ask what brings you here, your majesty?" Hook said, as he led her to his ship. The crew shifted aside things and themselves to let the queen walk through. By the looks of things, Hook was planning to set sail early morning.

"Curiosity." She smiled at him as they entered his compartment. "Ready to set sail so soon?"

"Yes, that way your boy wouldn't be able to change or ask for a different tutor." Hook smirked, sipping on his bottle of rum, before pulling out a glass for the queen and placing it on the table. "Rum?" he questioned, and she shook her head. "Ah, yes, the queen prefers cider." He smirked, and walked to the door of his compartment. "Mr. Smee!" He yelled for his trusty crew worker. "Get off the ship and get some cider for the queen." He ordered.

"Yes, Captain." Mr. Smee said, and soon rushed off the boat to get the cider for the queen.

"That was not necessary, I won't be staying long."

"Oh I know, my queen." He spoke with a smirk. He took a seat in front of the queen.

"Of course, you just love to flaunt your power." The queen shook her head with annoyance.

"It's a thrilling feeling, I tend to enjoy it." He took another sip. "But never mind my pleasantries, what is it that you're so inquisitive about?"

"Ser Swan." The queen simply stated, intriguing the sailor.

* * *

Henry stood in the middle of the lake on a rock with a book over his head, arms outstretched by his sides. The knight was standing 2 yards away, by the edge of the lake. She eyed the prince as he struggled to cross the lake.

"The more time you spend thinking, the harder it will be to pass!" she yelled, loud enough for him to hear. "Don't think about falling! Breathe deeply, and look at where you place your feet!" she yelled, watching him take a step further, about to fall. "One foot at a time, Henry!"

 _Come on, boy, you can do this._

Henry breathed deeply once more as he took another step, his balance getting better with each step. He had a few left: 3 more rocks to pass, to be precise.

 _I can do this. I can do this._

He told himself, as he got closer to the knight. He looked up for a split second and noticed the figure of a girl by the tree that the knight stood near, and his foolish distraction caused him to fall into the cold water. He pulled himself out of the water quickly, noticing the silhouette that had distracted him was slowly retreating, and he only caught a glimpse of her blue cape.

The knight helped pull the boy out of the water.

"Rule number 1 Henry, no distractions." The knight spoke and the prince looked at her once again.

"You saw her?" he asked, surprised that the knight did nothing about it.

"I positioned her there." The knight admitted. "To test you. Although you failed, it was better than most first attempts I've seen."

"Damn it." The prince hissed. "I can't do anything right." He spoke the same phrase once again as he dried himself off with the towel the knight had prepared just in case. They sat in front of the lake. "I can't even pass a damn test."

"Patience, Henry." The knight reminded him. "You've done well." She could still see the saddened expression on his face. She sighed, letting her tough exterior down the slightest bit. "One must fall before he can fly."

Henry turned to look at the knight who, for once, had a soft expression on her face. He had forgotten momentarily that she was capable of smiling. He sighed.

"But I just keep on falling."

"You think the strongest and bravest off warriors didn't fall before they rose?" she questioned. The boy looked at her.

"No, I'm sure they did, but not as much as I do. I've had 5 tutors try to train me and that is not including you, and I've failed at each task I was given. I won't be able to run a kingdom at this rate."

"That's not true Henry." The knight spoke with a squeeze to Henry's shoulder.

"Now you sound like my mother." Henry brought his legs up to his chest. The knight was taken back by the statement. She couldn't figure out what to say to him. She stood up and pet his shoulder.

"Come on, we will try again tomorrow." She said, and held out a hand for him to take. He looked at her hand and up into her eyes, and she gave him a soft smile. "Just don't bail on me and I'll make you the strongest knight the Enchanted Kingdom has ever seen." He sighed before taking the knight's hand.

* * *

The queen felt exhausted as she finally reached her castle, her heart a little more at ease from her earlier conversation with the pirate.

" _ **Are you sure my son is in good hands, Killian?" The queen questioned him, worry drowning her face. She had never once seen her boy wake up so early, and though it was nice, she still worried for the boy.**_

" _ **You can trust Swan, Regina. That woman has dedicated her life to protecting people, not harming them." Hook stated as he watched the queen's expression begin to ease.**_

To be honest, even with Hook's confirmed statement, the queen was still slightly uneasy about the knight. Having caught her slight figure rush away that morning when she was in her room, she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit concerned.

"Mom!" The prince's voice instantly lighting the queen's face, she stepped out of her carriage, only to meet in front of the gate with her son still slightly wet from his fall.

"Henry, dear, you're wet. You should get changed quickly." The queen frowned at her son's careless actions towards his health. The boy chuckled.

"I love you too, Mom." The boy said, smiling, and soon he rushed to the castle to take a hot shower and change into some proper dry clothes. He knew his mother would go ballistic if he stayed any longer.

The queen and the knight found themselves stuck in an awfully awkward position. The knight bowed down with much poise, like she did when her eyes first graced her.

"Your grace." The knight said simply, before straightening herself again.

"Ser Swan." The queen simply stated as well. The two found themselves caught up in silence again.

"Emma." The knight smiled softly at the confused expression on the queen's face. "You can call me Emma." The knight clarified.

"Well, Emma," The queen began. "I hope my son hasn't caused you any trouble."

"No trouble at all, your majesty, he's a well-mannered boy. You've raised him well." The queen was yet again taken back by this alluring knight. The first person to actually praise her mothering skills. The other tutors and knights accused her of being too protective.

"Thank you." Regina smiled. The knight smiled brighter.

Regina took the time to look into the knight's eyes.

 _She has quite beautiful emerald green eyes, how can her eyes be filled with so much grace and still be a knight?_

The skies were getting darker and the sound of lightning gracing the sky jerked the queen back to reality.

"I should be going before the rain falls. Hook leaves in the morning and I have yet to attain my belongings." The knight stated. She held the queen's free arm and leant on her knee, placing a soft kiss on her hand.

"Goodnight, your majesty." The knight whispered and stood on her feet again to pass the queen.

Regina was glued to her position; she had forgotten that it was a tradition to kiss the royal's hand goodnight if ever given the chance. Her head was spinning though; at the simple contact her skin had had with the knight's lips. She couldn't move either from shock or excitement.

Either way, she felt like her stomach had started to sprinkle a sea of butterflies. She had felt this once before. The simple move jolted many feelings inside of her. Simple yet meaningful. It reminded her of Daniel when she first met him.

 _ **Regina was just a princess when she had met Daniel. She was by the stables, playing with the horses, and the sun was beginning to set. The time passed and she hadn't noticed until the young boy had walked in.**_

" _ **Princess?" he questioned first, before he got a better look. Regina jolted back and sighed, thanking god it wasn't her mother. She would've killed her had she known she was at the stables. "I'm sorry to startle you, but the queen is looking for you."**_

" _ **Oh my god, I must've lost track of time." She stated to herself. The young boy chuckled.**_

" _ **You should hurry, she seemed slightly furious." Regina nodded and was about to pass him had he not stopped her.**_

" _ **Goodnight, your majesty." He spoke as he got on one knee and kissed her soft hand.**_

 _ **Regina felt butterflies in her stomach. Her entire being went numb as she barely mustered up a smile. Her body still in a state of weakness when she left the stables, she turned her head back to smile at the boy once more, who smiled back at her, and that was the beginning of an eventful history.**_

The queen was reminded of her reality once she felt a drop of water hit her skin. She looked back once more to the knight who was now 10 feet away, getting ready to climb her horse.

 _Why did I remember that? Why do I feel this way?_

She questioned herself but soon shook her head, refusing to analyse something that didn't need to be analysed.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina's eyes regretfully opened to the still unflattering accumulated murky sky of the night. She found it quite troublesome how most of her thoughts tended to marvel upon the surface of the night. Everything easily spurting out of her mind with no control whatsoever to stop it.

This wouldn't be the first time she had awoken from her slumber because of a myriad amount of speculation. She had awoken time and time again when she first had Henry, constantly wondering what the dark one wanted from her.

She learned to live with it, the everlasting impending uneasiness. She learned to cope with it for her son, her boy, her little prince. Though he wasn't from her bloodline he was her only true family and she couldn't possibly imagine a life without him after she had spent more than an entire decade raising him.

Sure, at first being with him caused her so much pain and sorrow, but things change so dexterously over time, she would know from the way her feelings for Daniel had changed drastically. She finally understood the true meaning behind the cite " _there's a fine line between love and hate."_

It can go either way when it comes to love and hate. One can love so much to the point where they hate that they love so much, just as much as one can hate deeply only to repress the love they truly feel.

 _Don't give in to your love_ , they told her, _to avoid any sign of weakness_ , they reasoned. That's what her mother had told her, what she had raised her on. She told her love was weakness, but Regina knew better. Love isn't weakness, it's the fear of falling in it that is. Regina was no weak fool.

The queen sighed, rising from her bed, knowing that any likelihood of dormancy would be too far from reach for her. She wore a pair of pumps and a soft, thin shawl draped around her body to keep it warm.

She left her room and took soft steps around the castle, careful not to wake anyone. She walked till she arrived in her garden, the flowers gleaming from the reflection of the fading moon.

She let her fingers brush over the tenderness they offered, the wind fanning the flowers and her shawl. She wrapped her arms tighter around her chest to hold down her tumbling coat, her loose hair flying to her face. She walked away from her garden, taking a simple stroll around the castle's front yard.

She led herself to the stables; it had been forever since she had felt the rush of being on a horse, or its skin for that matter. She craved the delicacy it submitted, the exhilaration it transmitted. The simple joy it permitted.

She explored the exquisite stallions that preoccupied the stable. She recognized each horse, knowing their names by heart, and she lifted her arm to pet each one.

"Alaska." She whispered as she rubbed the top of the black stallion's head. She moved to the next horse, her brown fur just as alluring.

"Delilah." She whispered to the brown stallion, the horse excreting a sound of pleasure, causing the queen to giggle. She moved to the next horse.

"Excalibur." This horse was a darker shade of brown. She played with it some more but was taken aback when she noticed a white stallion she had never noticed before. She walked up to it.

"I've never seen you before." She whispered softly with a smile as she reached her hand up to touch the white horse she had never seen before. The horse eased into her touch easily. She smiled as the horse rubbed its head against her soft hand.

She'd been so engulfed with the horse that she hadn't noticed someone standing behind her, carrying a few stacks of hay. The knight gently placed the hay down, smiling at the view she caught herself looking at.

Here before her stood the queen in her night gown, her hair set loose, falling freely till her mid back, a cloak covering her torso.The queen in her utmost modest state looked breath taking. The knight had lost her own voice for a second as she saw the queen play ever so gently with her trusty stallion.

She walked to the queen, placing her hand gently over the queen's hand, which lay over the horses. She stood mere inches apart from the queen. She felt the queen's hand stiffen the slightest bit before she spoke.

"She likes you." The knight whispered in awe. Her stallion rarely accepted any touch from strangers, yet the queen had managed to have it ease into her touch in a matter of seconds. This was yet another thing that impressed the knight.

After a few seconds of their hands lingering over each other, fingers to fingers, wrist to wrist on the stallion's head, a chilling madness driving into the pit of the queen's stomach, the queen slipped her hand free as she took a flustered step back to look at the knight.

"Is she yours?" The queen asked, once again placing her hand on the gelding, this time on its back, trying with all her might to avoid making eye contact with the knight. Emma smiled at the flustered queen.

"Yes." Emma said as the horse made another sound of pleasure, plastering a bigger smile on the queen's ever so beautiful face.

"What's her name?" the queen finally asked, looking at the knight that had had her eyes on Regina since forever.

"Aphrodite." Emma smiled as the queen smiled at her, then soon whispered the name as she pet the stallion once again.

"She's beautiful." The queen whispered.

 _Not as beautiful as you._

The knight thought to herself as she found herself gawking endlessly at the alluring sight of the queen and her fascinating simplicity.

"Would you like to ride her?" Emma asked. The queen looked at the knight in astonishment. The agitated queen took a step back.

"I shouldn't." She shook her head. The knight frowned looking at the suddenly saddened expression of the queen. "I haven't ridden in years." The knight could hear the faint expression of pain behind the sorrowed whisper of the queen.

"I could teach you." The knight took a step towards the queen, about to reach for her hand, but the queen immediately crossed her arms over her chest, closing off the knight.

 _Not again, I can't let her in like I did Daniel._

"No, you are here for Henry, not me." The queen simply stated, as she sucked in a deep breath, fixing her posture.

"I'm sure the boy would not mind. Besides, he's asleep." The knight tried to reason with the queen, she even left a slight smile on her lips to comfort the queen, but again the queen shook her head slightly.

"Thank you for the offer, but I mustn't. I should head back to sleep myself. I wish you a good night, Ser Swan." The queen hastily said as she left towards her castle in a rush, leaving the knight in the most utterly confused state.

The knight watched as the queen disappeared, wondering what could have made the queen close off from her so easily. Her mind was set to determine why. She would figure it out somehow. Emma could never hold back her curiosity, it was a bad habit.

Henry woke a few minutes before sunrise, he was all ready and dressed for his training session today. He looked at himself in the mirror and sighed heavily, tidying the edge of his clothes and pulling down at his shirt.

"Focus, Henry. No distractions." He pointed at himself with determined eyes and finally left his room to head to the stables, but was stopped by his mother who stood by the castle gates.

"Morning, mother." He smiled at his mother, who smiled back. His mother, unlike last night, completely dressed in a queen's attire. She pushed back his messy hair.

"Henry, dear, must you always look rushed?" She commented on his un-neat appearance. The boy chuckled.

"I _am_ always rushed, mom." The boy states with a smirk, but looked out at the gates to see the knight about to arrive at the stables before him. "I should hurry." He quickly kissed his mother's forehead before he dashed to the stables. The queen kept a keen eye on the boy before the knight turned around, their eyes interlocking from a distance, causing the queen to stumble and dash off herself.

The knight sighed at the queen's actions and replaced her slight misery with her tough exterior as she looked at the breathless boy.

"You're late, Henry." The knight looked into his eyes with a slight hint of anger.

"I ran into my mother." He spoke between breaths.

"And what if there was a war going on and your best warrior was stabbed with a knife because you were a second late?" The knight began raising her voice as she turned around on him. "What would you say then?" She walked up to his face. "Would you tell him that you ran into your mother?!" The knight raised her voice to its highest volume. The boy straightened his posture.

"No ma'am!" he answered back with the same level of volume. The knight smirked. The boy was gaining confidence.

"Good." The knight said, backing away from his face. "We will work on your strength and body today. Any skilled warrior needs to be stronger than the average strength of three men." She said as she kept her arms behind her back. "To do that you are going to run up and down the hill, the stairs, and around the castle twice. No breaks. Once we've accomplished that I will have you pulling a cart filled with my desired amount of weight. Am I clear?" she questioned, looking at the fear oriented boy.

"Yes ma'am." His voice strained the slightest. The knight walked up to him.

"Am I clear?!" she yelled again, forcing the boy to gain his posture again.

"Yes ma'am!" he yelled back, his body already covered in slight drops of sweat.

"Let's begin then." She said, leading him to the hillside.

The queen felt quite lonely now that Henry was spending his time practicing and training with the knight. She didn't have much queenly duties to attend to so she found herself once more in her room with a book in her hands.

As much as she wanted to read her story she couldn't, her late night or early morning encounter with the knight kept replaying in her mind. And now this morning, that minor glance she caught from a distance drove her insanely delirious.

The queen put her finger on the page she had stopped at and looked out the window, the book resting on her chest. She stared out of the window watching her son dripping with sweat as he pulled a cart, the knight yelling into his ear.

The queen traced over her hand as her eyes landed on the knight. That moment when she felt the knight's pliable touch on her hand, the degree of gentleness in so much contrasts to the way she treated the young boy.

The queen couldn't quite register this knight into her head. Something about her made her question so many things. What was this knight's secret to driving her brain into thinking about her?

Regina stared out of the window and clutched her hand tight.

 _What is it about you I find so intriguing?_

She questioned herself as her eyes darted towards the knight.

Henry had been dragging the cart across the castle for the past fifteen minutes; it felt like it weighed ten gallons and kept increasing as time passed, his pace slowing easily, the knight walking by his side.

"Faster!" She yelled at him. He tried his hardest, putting all of his strength into yanking the abundant heavy cart. He took long strides on the mud by the stables, his breath hitching, his clothes drenched with sweat. Every stride he took, his face clenched, his thighs drowned in agony.

 _Can't. Do. Any. More._

He thought as he barely moved his legs.

"I can't!" he yelled with all the energy he could muster up. The knight shook her head.

"Come on, Henry!" she raised her voice. "You can do this!" She encouraged him more.

"I can't! I can't!" He began to give up slowly as his feet tangled together, causing him to fall. He lost his grip on the cart, his balance hit the ground, he felt a crack in his ankle. It pained him. He groaned.

"Get up."

The boy looked up at her with pleading eyes.

"I think I cracked my ankle. I can't get up." He tried to push himself up.

"Get up, Henry!" she yelled into his face. "You want to be a knight?!" She questioned him.

"Yes." He said, his breathing calming slightly.

"Do you want to be a great king?!" she provoked him.

"Yes!" He yelled louder.

"Then get the fuck up!" She grabbed his arm, pulling him on his feet. He stood, pushing aside his pain.

"Pick up the cart and move faster." She demanded him. He looked at her, the anger in his face visible. He picked up the cart and pushed himself harder as he walked with the same speed as he did before.

"Faster!" She demanded, her face turning red from all her yelling, the vein on her forehead popping out. The boy tried to go faster, but he lacked the right motivation.

"I can't go any faster." The young prince spat out.

"Yes you can!" She said. The boy shook his head, moving slower.

"378." The blonde said, confusing the overly exhausted boy.

"What?" he questioned.

"I failed 378 days before I became the knight I am today." She said, the boy instantly remembering the talk they had had just the day before. "I fell 378 times before I rose. It took me a long time, it doesn't have to for you, so don't you dare tell me you can't one more time, because you can."

The boy was amazed by the knight's confession.

 _378 failed attempts but she didn't give up, she made it. She did it, which means so can I._

He told himself, pushing himself harder. He gripped the cart's handle harder and pulled it with more strength than he ever thought he could. He smiled to himself as he pulled it faster than he thought he could. The knight smirked.

 _He will definitely take much less than 378 failed attempts._

She thought as she watched the boy complete his final lap. The boy took his final step to the finish line and put the cart down. He looked at his reddened arms and smiled, turning his open arms into fists as he turned around to face the smiling knight.

"I did it!" He yelled, surprised at himself. "I did it!" he jumped in the air with excitement, then rushed to hug the knight. The knight struggled to keep her balance for a second, surprised by the sudden contact the boy had given her. He smiled against her cheek.

"I did it." He whispered. The knight's arms that were draped at his sides wrapped around the boy, who eased into her touch. "For once, I didn't fail." He whispered happily, mostly to himself. The knight found her lips erupting uncontrollably into a smile.

"Yes you did." She whispered, patting his back, proud of the boy.

Night had befallen the Enchanted Kingdom. Henry's excitement was keeping him up and about. He had spent the rest of the day helping the knight at the stables. He loved the stables just like his mother did.

The knight noticed his easiness towards the large animals. She watched the boy play with her stallion the same way the queen had this morning, making her relive the moment for a second.

"You love horses, don't you?" she asked the boy as she cleaned up the stable.

"Yeah I do. Up until I was 3 my father used to bring me here every day. He used to be a stable boy before he became king." He smiled, petting the horse.

"Does it run in the family?" she questioned, thinking back to her encounter with Regina.

"I guess you could say so." He started to scratch under the horse's neck.

"You said you used to." She spoke with interest, causing the boy to look at her. "Did something happen?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the stories about our kingdom."

"I did, but I don't necessarily believe anything I've been told unless it came from a trusted source. This is your kingdom, surely anything you say about it must be true." The knight took a seat on a stack of hay as the boy pet her stallion once more before walking to another horse.

"Something did happen." He said as sadness graced his face. "A lot of things of which hurt my mother." He looked at the brown horse sadly, avoiding any eye contact with the blonde, whose were filled with suspense.

"My father wasn't a faithful husband. Maybe a faithful king, but not a faithful husband. I was the result of an affair, and though I knew my presence hurt my mother, she never treated me unfairly, but my father treated her unfairly."

 _Why would he lay eyes on someone else? Regina was beautiful, I wouldn't have the nerve to look at anyone else if I were him. I wouldn't even want to._

"My mom, she can't… She can't conceive a child and my father needed a guarantee that no one would try to grab his kingdom from under his arms. So he met with the dark one."

"Rumplestiltskin." She whispered. The boy looked at her sadly.

"Yes, he had heard tales of his powerful magic. He told him he could not give him what he wanted, but he bred the idea for someone else to carry his child into his twisted brain. I know my father's intentions were for the good of the kingdom, but if I ever saw him I would never forgive him for what he did to my mother. Even if he gave me life, he threw away my mother's unconditional love, and that is the worst thing anyone could ever do to a human life." He spoke with anger etched in his voice.

"Do you know who your other mother is?" she questioned. The boy shook his head sadly.

"After my father's death during the ogre wars, my mother was drawn to the dark one. She wanted his magic to bring my fucked up father back, but she didn't know of his affair then. The dark one's magic had many limits, and bringing the dead back was one of them, so he offered her me to fill the empty hole she had in her heart. Before I was brought here, Rumplestiltskin made sure any memory I had of my other mother was gone, and when I was here I looked into my mother's eyes and felt the betrayal and loneliness that lingered, and I knew somehow that I was a slight cause of it." The boy had let a tear slip down his face as he spoke of his mother's pain.

"She didn't deserve it, you know." His voice cracked as a few more tears ran down his face. "She raised me like I was her own child, she loves me endlessly and I do her, but I'm not naïve enough to not know that she still feels an emptiness I can't fill, and I hate that I can't fill that." He rubbed his eyes, trying to dry away his tears.

The knight stood from her place and hugged the boy, letting him cry into her shoulder. It was evident on the boy's face that he felt responsible for his mother's pain.

 _I vow to fix this family if it is the last thing I do._

The knight told herself as she felt the boy's grip on her tighten and his tears thicken. They stood like that for quite some time.

Henry entered his mother's room, his body drained out. His mother was already lying in bed, the covers covering her body. She shifted once she heard slight steps.

"Henry?" she questioned the figure that stood before her bed. The prince smiled and climbed up onto his mother's bed after taking his shoes off. The queen could see the slight glimmer on the boy's cheek. She instantly jolted up.

"Henry, have you been crying?" she questioned him. The boy shook his head silently as he lay down, waiting for his mother to lay down as well before he talked. Regina hesitantly lay down facing her boy, who just clutched onto his mother, resting his head on her chest.

"I love you, mom." He whispered, his voice quivering slightly. His mother, shocked with worry, knew it would be best if she just asked him tomorrow, and for now just comforted him. She caressed his head and kissed his forehead.

"I love you too, Henry." She whispered, holding onto him for dear life.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

 **I'm so sorry for the incredibly long wait, I got slightly distracted during new years and I'm finally back. Thanks to darkswanouat for beta reading again. I'm hoping ya'll are still reading this and don't forget to give me your opinions. =]**

 **P.S. If you want a playlist to listen to, I suggest the "Mainstream Rock Ballads (2015)". Check out my SwanQueen trailer too! Just search Make a wish swan queen trailer and it should be up under the name "DRUGEDBYALEX". Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

The fresh breeze of the strong, cold air from her stallion's long strides striking at her skin. The overwhelming power she felt as the horse galloped across the castle's front yard striking her soul with so much delight. She loved the blissful hurdle she felt as she slowed the horse down. The way her horse slowed down, letting her feel the small bounces as though she was on a trampoline just beginning to jump.

"That's a good girl." The knight scraped the horse's neck gently as it neighed, pressing itself closer to Emma's hand. She smiled; she adored it whenever her horse leaned into her touch. It was probably the only thing that made her feel the gentleness of a woman. She hopped off the stallion, singing her right leg to the other side then bouncing off, her feet touching the ground gracefully; it was noticeable that she was undeniably a skilled rider. She pulled the leather stirrup attached to the saddle, making sure she didn't pull so hard that it could hurt Aphrodite. She led the horse back to the stables. She had had enough riding for the morning.

The sun was about to appear in the sky. She watched the ravishing dark sky slowly shift into a thrilling bright morning. The knight was supposed to expect Henry soon. She pulled her horse to its rightful place in the stables and started to prepare for today's lesson. She prepped two wooden swords and waited patiently for the boy. She smiled, holding onto the sword, prepping into the perfect position and slashing at the wind. The simple action reminded her of her training days.

 ** _She was merely 19 years of age when she first held a sword, her grip fierce on the metal object. Her father smiled at her as she positioned herself in the perfect position. She smiled back at him that sneaky, charming smile. She'd been practicing her sword fighting for the past 2 months and was already one of the most skilled sword fighters in the land._**

" ** _On guard!" her father roared as he waved his sword towards his daughter, who easily blocked the sharp item, releasing a shrieking sound as the swords collided. She slipped her sword away, turning around in a circle before she swayed her sword towards her father, her strength undeniably greater than his._**

" ** _Where's your strength, father?" she challenged him with a smirk. Her father replied with a chuckling grin as he pushed his daughter back. Emma stumbled slightly from the great force her father charged at her. She balanced herself quickly as her father aimed at her once more. She swiftly moved her leg between his, causing him to trip and fall. She smirked and placed her sword near his neck. Her father laughed proudly, settling in defeat. He had taught her the trick, and to this day, she kept using it._**

She smiled at the memory she cherished near her heart. Her father had been such a role model for her growing up. He was her mentor, her friend, and mostly, her father. He never let her down in the slightest. She frowned slightly as she started to remember his befallen fate. He was slowly getting sicker. Her family didn't have the means to pay for the cure, which is why she accepted this tutoring job. Hook had promised her a fine amount of gold that would cover for the cure and more.

" ** _Come on, Swan." The sailor nagged as she went back and forth clearing the den. Her father would usually do it but he was tiring more and more each day that passed, and her mother never left his side. Even if she wanted to accept this offer, she couldn't leave her parents alone in a state like this._**

" ** _No, Hook," She said eyeing him, clearly displeased with his childish behavior. "I have too much on my plate, the last thing I need is to train a child," She spoke as she lifted heavy stacks of hay, placing them aside._**

" ** _He is not just a child, Emma. He's the next king." He tried harder to get her to accept his offer. "Besides, I'm sure your parents would be fine without you for a few weeks."_**

" ** _My family needs me." She told him as she finally turned around to look at him._**

" ** _What if I offer you gold?" The ex-pirate smirked as he saw the blonde twitch._**

" ** _How much?" she asked, considering his offer._**

" ** _Enough."_**

 ** _She thought for a moment, the sailor impatiently waiting for her answer. She looked over at her small home to see her father sitting on the porch as her mother brought him something hot to drink. She sighed, knowing this could benefit them. She looked once more to the pirate._**

" ** _Okay, I'll do it." She said, earning a smirk from the pirate._**

Henry appeared a few seconds later and, as usual; his breath was out of control. The boy placed his hands on his knees, bending forward to gasp as much air in as he could. His body was slowly adjusting to his stressful training. Waking up early for the past two days and his non-stop training had been draining him restless, but it had also been strengthening him.

Once his breathing began to gradually steady itself, his eyes were met with a wooden sword that was thrown at his feet. His eyes widened. The boy looked up, intrigued by what he had in mind of what they were going to do for today's lesson.

"Pick it up." The knight spoke, pointing towards the sword, as she held her own. The boy picked it up without question and finally straightened himself. "When using a sword, the way you stand, move and hold your weapon is vital. It determines how much control you have over the weapon." The knight spoke as she took slow strides left and right.

The knight lifted her sword and swung in the boy's direction, surprising him with the sudden contact. Henry, acting on instinct, pulled his sword up. His eyes were deeply vast as he stared at the smirking knight, who gently took her sword away. The boy reluctantly set his sword down as he watched the knight about to speak again, his heart racing faster than it was when he was out of breath.

"As you can see," The knight started, before slamming the sword in Henry's direction again. The boy shielded himself once more whilst being pushed back slightly by the strength with which the knight pressed down on the boy's sword, his eyes barely in their sockets as they flicked between the sword aimed at him and the knight's green eyes that stared so deeply into his, fearing the boy more. "You have to move quickly," She said, as she slipped her leg between the prince's legs, pushing harder against the boy's chest. The prince looked like a boy trapped in a room that shrunk until it crushed him.

Henry, about to take a step back, tumbled from the knight's feet. He fell on his back, his sword a few inches away from him. Emma placed her sword close to his chin. The boy swallowed his sputum as the knight smirked, his fear evident on his face despite the fact that the wooden sword couldn't exactly slice through him.

"And cleverly, or your head will be sliced off before you can even blink." She said, and soon moved her wooden weapon away, reaching her hand out for him to take. He took her extended arm, pulling himself up and attaining his sword, ready for another attack from the knight, or so he thought. She pulled the boy ever so close to her, her sword right in between them. "And never, ever trust your enemy." She whispered. The boy nodded hastily until the sword was out of his face and the knight had taken a step back.

"First we'll start with your posture." Emma moved until she was beside the boy. She tapped at his thigh. "Feet shoulder length apart." She spread her feet as the boy did. "Knees bent." She bent her knees, he followed. "This will refrain you from losing balance." She stood upright once again as Henry did as well.

"Second, gripping the sword." She held her own sword. "When holding a sword, you should avoid gripping it tightly with all your fingers as that will tire you out and result in unwanted movements. Your strong grip should be using your thumb and first two fingers; the rest should hold on loosely, like this." The boy imitated the knight's grip.

"Now, fix your posture and strike." She said, as she moved to hit the boy's sword once more. The boy's grip tighter this time, the knight's lips curled into a bigger grin. "Good work Henry." The boy smiled and began to push back the knight, whose sword backed away from him.

 _This shouldn't take too long; the boy's a natural. Father would've loved him._

* * *

"Is that all?" The Queen questioned if there was more to discuss on the matters of her realm; all the royals around the table nodded their heads. She nodded. "Good, you are free to leave now." She spoke as the men stood up and one by one began to leave. She collected herself as well, walking to the window.

She sighed. She did not enjoy this much, but it was her duty and she had to do it whether she liked it or not. Sometimes she wished she could just take a break, but she knew better than that. Her only escape was books and painting, and sadly she was starting to lose interest in painting due to how little time she had for herself.

She glanced out the window to see it was almost sunset. She frowned, noticing that Henry wasn't back from his training session yet: he usually was by this time. After his appearance in the dark of night yesterday in her room, her worries were increased more than normal. She walked to the castle's gates without a second thought. The man by the gate opened the door for the queen.

"Have you seen Henry?" She asked the guard. He shook his head.

"He hasn't returned from his training this morning." She nodded at the guard's words and decided to check the stables, her worry gradually increasing. It was where they usually practiced.

She exited the castle and took light steps to the stables. She heard the faint sounds of clashing swords and her heart began to race as she sped up her walk until she reached the door of the stables. Her eyes widened as she saw the knight towering over her little prince, the sight not to her liking.

"On guard!" The knight yelled at the boy, who obeyed her command. During the course of four hours, they had switched from wooden swords to real ones.

"Attack!" She yelled, attacking the boy, who blocked her attack and soon took a swing at her sword. The action continued for a decent amount of time before Henry fell to the floor.

"Henry!" Regina cried, as she ran to her son. Both heads turned in the direction of the queen. She helped her son up and looked furiously at the knight. "Must you be so harsh?" she questioned with annoyance. Henry placed a hand on his mother's hand, which was tightly gripping his.

"Mother, I'm fine." He spoke soothingly.

"No you are not. She threw you to the floor." She said with a hint of anger in her voice. She glared at the knight who sighed, reaching for the queen who, like the other night, had rejected Emma again.

"Your majesty, I can assure you the boy is fine, this is merely practice." She tried to reason with the queen, even if she knew it was pointless, for her own mother had tried to stop her from becoming a knight thousands of time in the fear that she would get hurt. Regina stood in front of her son as she poked a finger to the knight's chest.

"You don't get to say anything," She spoke with anger as she took a few more steps towards the knight. Her hand automatically whacked the knight's cheek.

"Mom!" Henry yelled in shock. He'd never seen his mother attempt any violence before. The queen was shocked with her own actions but she wouldn't show it.

Emma and Regina stood still, a few inches apart. "He is not just a boy, he's the prince, he is the king to be." She spoke as the knight held back a smirk. The queen was surely confident, and even though her cheek began to burn slightly she stayed in place, impressed with the queen's boldness. For those few seconds of silence before the queen spoke once more, it felt like it was only her and Regina. Everything else in the world blocked and sound disappeared. "And he is my son." The queen finished. The knight knew better than to say anything about that; she just stared into the queen's blinding brown eyes filled deep with acrimony. The queen's face was inches away from the knight's, Regina thinking she was alarming the knight. Little did she know, but the knight wasn't alarmed at all, yet captivated by the queen's closeness. Emma took this opportunity to study the queen's fascinating features, noticing the scar just above her top lip.

The queen, heeding the knight's unmoving eyes and posture, backed away, grabbing the boy's hand.

"Let's go, Henry," She said, pulling him with her, giving him no chance to deny her. Once they were at a far enough position from the stables, she let her hard grip on the prince loosen slightly.

"You didn't have to do that, mother." The boy spoke with slight displeasure.

"She could have hurt you." His mother let go of his hand, crossing her arms on her chest. She knew she had overstepped her boundaries, but she simply couldn't help it. She heard her son's heavy sigh as he reached for her arm, stopping her from moving further. The queen looked away, ashamed. Henry let a soft smile slip his lips before he went in to hug his mother.

"I'll be fine, mom. Don't worry so much about me." He told his mother softly as she eased into his embrace. She sighed into his chest just like he did the night before. "I won't leave you like my father did." The prince could feel his mother's soft smile from against his chest. "I'm not him." He whispered, and Regina slipped away from his embrace with a tear threatening to fall from her eye.

"No, you are not." She whispered to him as her son twitched his lip and smirked. The queen chuckled at her adorable son, who reached for her cheeks and wiped away her tear. Henry intertwined his fingers with his mother's, allowing them to walk in sync as he decided to ease his mother's mind by reminiscing about their lovely past.

* * *

Emma sighed as she picked her things up and placed them aside. They would be using them again tomorrow. She wished she could find a way to reach out to the queen, though her chances seemed very little now. She sighed once more as she walked out of the stables.

She escorted herself to the apple tree she had found two days ago. She still hadn't found a place to sleep so she normally lay by the apple tree or in the stables. She didn't mind the nature; she had lived most of her life outside, so it never phased her. It would only be for a couple of weeks anyway. Henry was a fast learner.

She sat down by the tree, her back pressed against the slightly rough wood. She lay her head back, looking at the sky. She loved staring at the stars, they were such an extraordinary view. The sparkles they offered reminded her of the queen's eyes. They offered the same sort of glimmer as the stars did.

Her mind started to contemplate the queen's incredibly close proximity just a few minutes ago. She wondered how much the queen could possibly love the boy; it was obvious enough that it was a lot. The queen loved quite deeply, assuming from the things she'd heard and from the story Henry had told her. The queen loved so much that it hurt her. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep with thoughts of the queen implanting in her brain.

Emma flickered her eyes open after feeling feet stumble over hers. She rubbed her eyes slightly then looked up, only for her eyes to meet with the queen's deep brown orbs. Regina held a basket in her hands, her face clearly showing shock. Undoubtedly not expecting her feet to collide with anything.

"Your grace." Emma said, quickly getting to her feet. She bowed down for the queen and stood up in front of her again. Regina, still in visible shock, scanned the area the knight had occupied a few seconds ago. She noticed a few items on the ground such as a soft sheet and some camping gear. She looked back at the knight to see her still drowsy expression, finally comprehending the situation the knight was in.

"Ser Swan?" Do you not have a place to settle?" she questioned. The knight shrugged, looking around her then at the queen once more,

"I make do." She said with a soft smile. The queen, though still in a little irritated from the way she had treated her son earlier, felt the slightest bit of guilt surface in her emotions. The knight smiled at the queen softly as she bent to pick her things up, sensing the displeasure from the queen. "Don't mind me, your highness, I'll settle at another place."

Regina, refusing to give into her guilt, looked away from the knight and decided to continue the task at hand. She glanced ever so softly back at the knight to see her collecting her things. She looked away once more and continued her task picking the ripest of apples from the tree. She loved this task, reminding her of the times when things didn't hurt so much and loneliness was not a burdened problem. She sighed, trying to wash away the feelings, as she reached for an apple that was a little too high for her to reach. She stood on her toes, stretching an arm towards the apple that seemed quite far from reach.

A few sounds of shuffling was heard. The queen had assumed that the knight had taken her leave, but was surprised with the feeling of a body's heat radiating behind her instead. It pulled the apple she had difficulty trying to reach. Regina stood in place, feeling the knight's breath linger on the back of her neck, and the soft brushes gracing the tip of her slightly exposed skin as the knight slowly stood on her feet once more and took a few steps away from the queen.

The queen stood still, motionless, attempting to understand why the knight was treating her with such a willing ease after their minor conflict from earlier. With all her might she turned around, meeting the knight's eyes. She held the apple out for the queen. The queen sceptically took the apple from the blonde knight, earning an even bigger smile from her. She nodded for the queen, accepting the invisible thank you that didn't spur the queen's lips. She was about to head in the direction of the stables when the queen's spoken words stopped her in the middle of her tracks.

"Wait." She said in such a soft whisper that the knight could have easily missed it. Emma turned around to face her curiously. She took a few steps forward as the queen stared down at her basket of apples. "You can stay in the castle, the weather isn't suitable for camping." The queen said in a rush, causing an enormous grin to form on the knight's face. The knight took a few more steps closer to the queen, lifting her chin gently to look into those mesmerising eyes.

"Thank you." She whispered, leaving the queen in a crucial state, the vulnerability edging at her features.

 _This is my chance at letting her let me in._

The knight thought as the queen shifted nervously.

"I'll have a guard assist you to the guest rooms once I make the trip back to the castle. I would assume you should have your belongings packed by the time one of the guards approach you." The queen said in a disciplined manner, avoiding any eye contact, before quickly turning around to head to the castle. The knight smirked, proud of herself for making the queen fluster so easily. She kept her eyes on the queen until she slowly began to depart to the castle. The thought of having a bed for the knight sent a warm feeling into the knight's stomach. She left to pick up her things, happy at how things had taken a turn.

* * *

Henry gently tip toed out of his room. Looking left and right, he noticed his mother's door closed, which meant she was probably asleep. He walked out carefully, making his way as quietly as possible to the stables. He took the sword the knight had left aside.

He felt like he needed to make amends for the time he lost when his mother interrupted them earlier. He spread his feet shoulder length apart and bent his knees, remembering the knight's commands. He started to swing the sword, mimicking the knight. He gradually started to build up his speed until his arms tired. He smiled to himself as he looked at the sword in his hand.

 _This isn't as hard as I thought it would be._

He thought, but then he heard the sound of slight cracks of hay from behind the horses. He kept a keen eye near the stallions, noticing the shallow movements and a soft silhouette. He raised his sword in defence.

"Who's there?" he commanded, but was met with no response. He got closer, but nothing moved. Maybe his eyes were just deceiving him. He shook his head, lowering his weapon and turning around, moving away from the horse, when he felt something hard hit him across the head. He groaned and rubbed his head, his eyes squinting from the pain, as he noticed small shoes running across from him.

He picked up his sword and rushed after the small shoed person. He ran faster as he tried to follow them. He paused once he noticed the figure move to the lake and easily hop across. She turned around, and to his dismay it was the girl from the other night when he was training his balance and patience. The girl that distracted him. His eyes widened. She lowered her hood and gave Henry a smile from the other side of the lake.

"You…" he whispered to himself.

 _Who is this girl?_

He questioned as he watched her hop on her stallion and rush away. He ran after it from the other side as though he could reach her.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" he screamed aloud. The girl looked back as her horse ran forward. She grinned t him for a second, leaving the boy in a very dumbfounded state, his eyes stuck on the fading view of this mysterious girl, her brown eyes pierced into his vision.

 _Who are you?_


End file.
